The Gift of Family
by Hotch Fan
Summary: Spoilers from 5x09 "100." The team is having a boring and stressful day of paperwork in the office, when they get a little visit in the BAU. TEAM-CENTRIC.


**Finally, here'****s my new story. I've been working on this for a couple weeks now, but after watching the last episode with those sweet scenes between Jack and Hotch_, _****I couldn't help but finish and publish it as quickly as possible.****_ *SPOILER ALERT ON_* (OMG! I love that little boy. He's so sweet, in his little suit and little red tie. Awww! And Hotch's face when he told him that his costume is of him. I love them both!)**_** *SPOILER ALERT OFF**_*** **

**This story can be slightly AU ****mainly ****because here, has been almost a year since Haley's death and JJ is still on the team. I can't help it, I love JJ! Anyway**** any comment or criticism will be appreciated.**** As always **

**I don't owe Criminal Minds or any of his characters.**

**Also, I owe a huge thanks to_ Nebula2_ for the beta.**

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**OoOoO**

"_**To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there." Barbara Bush**_.

It was half day at a Friday in the Behavioral Analysis Unit. The BAU. And everyone on the team was busy with piles of paperwork on their desks.

Morgan sighed wearily, as he finished yet another file. Yesterday had been the same. All day writing reports and more reports. When he'd left the office the day before, there were only three files left and this morning, when he entered the bullpen his desk was full of papers, again. He took a moment to look at his colleagues.

Reid was sitting at his desk, reading excitedly the file in his hands. Morgan just rolled his eyes. The kid was the only person in the whole world that could enjoy doing paperwork.

Prentiss was typing on her computer, covering a yawn with her hand. She looked every bit of tired and bored as Morgan was feeling right now.

He stretched in his chair rubbing his face with his right hand, and then he looked to his left.

Hotch was sitting at his desk, writing. With twice the files that Morgan had, massaging his forehead. The last case had been a mess. With the Unsub taking his own life as well as his last victim's life, whom he had kidnapped. Strauss had made it clear, she wanted a report describing each second they worked the case. Of everyone on the team.

JJ's office door was open. She was behind her desk. Her gaze in a case file, that probably would be their next case, with her phone pressed between her ear and shoulder. She was pinching the bridge of her nose, looking a little exasperated.

Morgan couldn't see Rossi from his desk, but he knew the older agent hated paperwork as much as he did. So it was safe to think that he'd be doing something else.

Derek looked at his desk again, and thought about going to Garcia's bunker, he could play with her for a little while and relax a bit before keep working.

"Uncle Derek!" A little voice shouted, just when he was standing up. He looked at the direction from which the voice had come just in time to see little Jack Hotchner running towards him with Jessica, Haley's sister behind him.

"Hey there little man," Morgan said smiling, picking up Jack in his arms.

A bit over a year had passed since Haley's death and the whole team had been there for both. Hotch and Jack. Four or five months after Jack started to live with him, Hotch had bought a small house near Jessica's, with a garden where Jack could play. The team, plus Will, Henry, Kevin and sometimes Jessica too, began the tradition of meeting there once a month and spend time together (As long as there wasn't a new case), besides this, each one had supported them in their own way.

Spencer, reciting dozens of statistics of anything and everything. Trying to prevent Hotch from thinking too much about what had happened. And in spite of not being very good with children, he had been there, doing magic tricks and responding to all sorts of questions from Jack, who seemed to enjoy listening to Reid speak, despite the fact that he didn't understand most of the things the agent was saying.

JJ, as the only other parent on the team, being there to listen if Hotch wanted to talk about Jack. Parent to parent, or make him laugh, talking about something that Henry had done. Setting up play dates between Jack and her son, that despite the age difference could spend hours playing together. Or simply offering to take care of Jack if Hotch needed some time to himself.

Derek, appearing unexpectedly at Hotch's house with pizza and beer to watch a game or a movie on TV, ignoring any protests from Hotch. He could also spend hours in the back yard playing with Jack. Basketball, football, or anything else and sometimes he would bring his dog, Clooney, and let Jack play with him.

Emily, giving Hotch the normality he desperately needed to have. Trying to act as if nothing had happened most of the time, talking to him about anything, including cases. And thanks to her great facility to deal with children, Jack loved her and they could spend hours together. Watching movies, playing and even just talking.

Dave, as Hotch's best friend, being there if he wanted to talk. If he didn't, pressured him to do so when the older agent knew that the other needed it. Also to make sure that Hotch took care of himself. And to the surprise of the team, Rossi had been there as "Uncle Dave", spoiling Jack. Even playing and drawing with him sometimes.

Penelope, just being herself. Making Hotch smile or even laugh with her comments and occurrences. Baking cookies or a cake for them. Sometimes she just appeared suddenly without any warning, bringing with her books and other gifts for Jack and volunteering as a babysitter at any moment, any time.

"Hi Aunt Emily! Hi Uncle Spence!" Jack said waving to where they were, at their desks.

"Hey Jack. What are you doing here?" Emily said walking toward Morgan's desk, giving a small smile to Jessica.

"We came to see Daddy," Jack replied pointing in the direction of Hotch's office.

"Everything okay?" Morgan asked looking at Jessica..

"Yes, everything is fine. It's just that I have some things to do, so I came to see if Aaron could take care of this little boy for a couple of hours." Jessica replied, smiling at Jack.

"Guess what, Uncle Derek?" Jack said attracting the attention of everyone. Morgan just laughed when Jack continued without waiting for an answer. "Yesterday Miss Taylor said we could draw a picture of our family. I asked her if I could paint mommy although she's in heaven now and she said yes. I painted Daddy, Mommy, Aunt Jess, Uncle Spence, Aunt Emily, Aunt JJ, Uncle Dave, Aunt Pen, and you too, Uncle Derek" Jack said counting on his fingerS to each of them. "So when I showed her my picture she asked me if everyone was my family, and I told her what Daddy told me. That family was the people who were always with you. Those who made you laugh and feel happy when you were sad. I think she don't know that. She told me that my Dad was very intelligent and that she liked my picture. I told Daddy what Miss Taylor said, and I gave him my picture." Jack said excitedly.

Everyone fell silent after listening to Jack.

Reid just lowered his gaze, trying to make himself small is his chair, moving his hands lightly on his lap. Prentiss looked nervously to where Jessica was, hoping she wasn't upset or bothered by what Jack said, but Haley's sister just smiled at the agent, who smiled back. Morgan looked at Hotch's office briefly, before looking at Jack again. He couldn't help but smile at the little boy in his arms.

"Why nobody told me that my favorite little agent is here!" Garcia said getting intro the bullpen.

"Aunt Pen!" Jack shout excitedly, running to where Garcia was.

"Well, hello there my little cupcake!" Garcia said bending over and giving him a hug and a kiss.

"Can you guys keep an eye on him while I speak with Aaron?" Jessica asked the rest of the team, watching her nephew talking happily with Penelope.

"Of course, don't worry. We'll take care of him." Prentiss replied smiling at Jack's aunt.

When Jessica was going to Hotch's office, she found JJ, as she left her office going to the bullpen.

"Hey JJ. How is work today?" Jessica asked. Of everyone on the team, JJ was with who she got along the best.

"Hi, I'd say pretty good, actually. At least more relaxed than usual," JJ replied, smiling at the other woman. "I assume you came to see Hotch, right?"

"Actually, I came to see if he can take care of Jack for a couple of hours," Jessica replied, gesturing to where Jack was with the rest of the team.

"Maybe that's what Hotch needs right now. He has stacks and stacks of work in his office. A little distraction for him wouldn't be a bad thing," JJ smiled, following her path to the bullpen.

Just when Jessica was standing outside Hotch's office, she heard Jack call her _Aunt JJ._ She just smiled and entered when Hotch called for her to do so.

"Hey Jack. It's good to see you," JJ said, leaving the files she brought on Prentiss' desk and going to where Jack was, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Where is Henry, Aunt JJ? I want to show him the trucks that Uncle Dave gave me and play with them together," Jack said happily.

"Well, he's at home right now with his father. But I will talk to your dad to make a play date, so you two can play, okay?" JJ said smiling as Jack nodded excitedly.

"Daddy!" Jack shouted happily, getting down from Morgan's chair, when he saw his father come out of his office.

A smile immediately appeared on Hotch's face. "Hey Buddy," he said lifting his son in his arms.

"Daddy, Aunt JJ said Henry and I can play together," Jack said to his father, excited.

"That's great buddy," Hotch said, smiling at JJ as he and Jessica came to the bullpen. "Aunt Jess told you you're gonna stay with me for a while?"

Jack nodded as Jessica approached towards him and kissed his cheek, saying goodbye. Once Jessica disappeared from the glass doors Jack looked at his father, his face hopeful.

"Can we go to the zoo Daddy? It's been so long since we went to see the animals. Please Daddy, I want to go... Please?" Jack asked his father.

"Daddy has work to do Buddy, but I promise we'll go to the zoo soon. Okay?" Hotch said trying to reason with his son.

Jack's smile slipped off his face, but he just nodded sadly.

"Come on Aaron, you can take Jack to the zoo and we take care of everything here," Dave said getting the attention of everyone. He had heard Jack shout for his father, so he had gone to the bullpen and had heard what was said without anyone seeing him.

"Uncle Dave!" Jack shouted, running to where Rossi was.

"Hotch, Dave is right, man. We can take care of work for a day," Morgan said.

"Please Daddy. I want to see the lions. Please, please," Jack begged his father.

Hotch looked around at all the members of the team. Nobody said anything, but the expression on their faces clearly said that they agreed with what Morgan and Rossi said. Then he looked at the hopeful face of his son.

He just sighed. "Okay, let's go Buddy." Hocth couldn't help the smile that appeared on his lips when he saw Jack jump of joy, clapping his little hands together.

Hotch quickly went into his office for his stuff. Upon his return, he found the whole team still together in the bullpen, with Jack laughing.

"Okay Buddy, say goodbye to everyone," Hotch told his son.

Jack immediately began to kiss and hug his uncles and aunts goodbye.

"Thank You," Hotch said to the team sincerely, before taking Jack by the hand. Together, they left the BAU.

The rest of the team saw both Hotchner men get out the BAU's door. After a few moments, they all returned to work, feeling not so miserable.

_**"The best part of life is when your family becomes your friends, and your friends become your family." Danica Whitfield.**_

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**... So,**** what do you think? Like it? Hate it? Please let me know. Also I have thought about adding a second chapter to this story, ****would take place immediately after this, with Hotch and Jack in the zoo, b****ut I want to know if you guys would be interested in reading it or not. **

**A/N:Thanks to all who read it.**** I hope you all have enjoyed****, and as always feedback appreciated. Thank you.**


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